Rain dates for the above are on the following Saturdays (4/28...6/30...8/18...10/20)

Northwest Ohio Geocachers are the proud adopters of a two mile section of Lucas County Road 53 (aka Old US-24, aka River Road, aka Anthony Wayne Trail, aka Toledo Napoleon Road), west of Waterville near Grand Rapids, with a portion of our section bordering Providence Metropark, approximately from the 1.5 to 3.5 mile markers. This is the last year that our section was known as US-24, as the new limited access highway alignment opened on August 29, 2012.

Although our section is no longer part of a state highway, ODOT has informed us that they will still support the AAH program for our section for now. We will need to discuss the future of our program with them next year.

Lucas County Road 53 is now Exit 66 from west bound US-24 in Maumee. However our section can be reached easier from either east or west by using US-24 Exit 57, SR-295, S Berky Southern Rd, and then south to River Rd, and west about a mile to our meeting location. While most maps are not yet up-to-date, one free mobile app called Waze correctly maps the new US-24 alignment.

Don't forget, besides getting a smiley for these events, you're doing the environment a favor. If you have a child over the age of 12 (and accompanied by a parent!) who needs service hours for school or scouts, this is a great opportunity for them.

We usually go partake of Pizza at Pisanellos after the April, June & October CITO's, so there is a reward!

The guidelines for participation are posted on every CITO event that we post.

See you at the CITO!

*This has been changed to fit the ODOT AAH State-wide Cleanup & to accomodate the planting of trees for Wood County Parks. (cachergirl27)

I have a potentially sticky question. The state's Adopt a Highway program is for roads maintained by ODOT, but when 24 is rerouted our stretch will fall under Lucas County's control. The current schedule for the rerouting in September, or before the 4th CITO. Does anyone know how this will affect us? Will we still maintain the same stretch of road? Will we get another stretch of highway?

either way, my vote goes to doing the CITO as planned for Oct...even if only out of deference to a clean roadside for Apple Butter Festival weekend...we have the vests, the reputation for being ecologically inclined, the best picker-uppers in the world, a geocaching tie-in with the Metroparks and a great taxi service...what more is there?

An engineer on that project that I see regularly says the opening of the new US24 is scheduled for sometime between September and the end of November, depending on how that area east of Dutch Rd is going. The present US24 will then be turned over to Lucas and Henry counties, and it will become a county road. I don't know if Lucas County has an official roadside clean-up program, but if they do, we could probably get that portion. An alternative is to move "our section" to the new US24, which would require some extra logistical and safety planning each time we have an event there. The states Adopt-A-Highway program is for a 2-mile stretch of highway -or- an interchange, such as the new SR295/US24 interchange, so doing just the interchange may be feasible.

Personally, I prefer to have the event on the present roadway. It has character.

SuchaNana wrote:either way, my vote goes to doing the CITO as planned for Oct...even if only out of deference to a clean roadside for Apple Butter Festival weekend...we have the vests, the reputation for being ecologically inclined, the best picker-uppers in the world, a geocaching tie-in with the Metroparks and a great taxi service...what more is there?

nohtolsteve wrote:I have a potentially sticky question. The state's Adopt a Highway program is for roads maintained by ODOT, but when 24 is rerouted our stretch will fall under Lucas County's control. The current schedule for the rerouting in September, or before the 4th CITO. Does anyone know how this will affect us? Will we still maintain the same stretch of road? Will we get another stretch of highway?

I talked to the State last year and asked that very question. (Note that it was mentioned last year on our AAH/CITO Event pages).

They said it "could" end up being named SR-424 to comply with the similar section of of the old US-24 west to Indiana that was renamed to SR-242 when the new US-24 was built. The decision was in the hands of the counties. In Indiana, the old US-24 was creatively renamed "Old US-24".

I guess we need to ask people at Lucas and Henry Counties.

GoodDog wrote:I think we can keep it as our adopt a hwy, even if it's not a state hwy. It's a good location and we have history.

While I agree, will the State or County take down our NWOGEO signs, once the county takes control? Will it still be considered part of the AAH program?